


in this clear and easy silence

by Suicix



Series: seven over seven [10]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Background Poly, Dates, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Introspection, M/M, OT7, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 03:19:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suicix/pseuds/Suicix
Summary: Somehow, even just this – the two of them walking side by side on the street in the warm summer breeze – brings back memories. Memories from years ago, them sitting on the grass or on a bench, each of them with an ice cream in their hands, communicating in gestures and the little Korean that Mark had picked up at that point. Jinyoung wouldn’t be able to count up how many times they went and sat in the park like that, the quiet between them becoming more and more comfortable every time they did it. Maybe they should relive that now.





	in this clear and easy silence

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry that the next part of this series took so long!!! it was absolutely not supposed to take me so incredibly long to write this, and all things considered, it didn't - it took me a long time to get to 500 or so words and from there i was pretty quick
> 
> set at some aimless point during summer this year probably. in this series, everyone still lives at the dorm because 1. convenience and 2. ot7
> 
> this fic is part of a series set in canon through which i hope to write all twenty-one different ships featuring ot7 in the background.

It’s kind of odd, Jinyoung thinks, to be leaving the company building after practice when there’s still so much time left in the evening, and it’s even odder that everyone other than him and Mark were able to go back even earlier, but he isn’t going to complain. It’s a nice night – perhaps they can make the most of it.

So, instead of taking a car to the dorm, Jinyoung proposes that they walk back. Mark raises his eyebrows in surprise but agrees. They head back on foot, and somehow, this – even just this, the two of them side by side on the street in the warm summer breeze – brings back memories. Memories from years ago, him and Mark sitting on the grass or on a bench, each of them with an ice cream in their hands, communicating in gestures and the little Korean that Mark had picked up at that point. Jinyoung wouldn’t be able to count up how many times they went and sat in the park like that, the quiet between them becoming more and more comfortable every time they did it. Maybe they should relive that now.

“Hey – you know what we should do?” At that, Mark looks at him, blinking, waiting for the answer. It’s a rhetorical question, after all. “Instead of going straight back to the dorm, maybe… we could go to the park.” _Like old times,_ Jinyoung doesn’t say, but he thinks Mark’s worked out that part for himself.

“Like when we were trainees,” Mark says, proving Jinyoung right, and Jinyoung nods.

“Right,” he says. It’s heartening, the fact that that time might mean the same thing to Mark that it does to him. “We can even get ice cream – there’s a convenience store on the way.”

“Sounds good.” Behind his face mask, Mark smiles. Jinyoung knows exactly what to look for in Mark’s eyes to know that a grin’s there even with his mouth covered.

The store’s not far; it only takes them a couple of minutes to get there. The first stop once they’re inside is the freezer for ice cream. They each pick out what they want, but before Jinyoung can slide the door shut, Mark asks a question.

“You think we should buy some for the others, too?”

Jinyoung considers for a second, but then shakes his head.

“It’ll melt on the way back,” he says. “Let’s get them different snacks instead.”

So that’s what they do. They make their way around the store, picking out everyone’s favourites. When they get to the cash registers, Jinyoung suggests that they split the cost, but Mark shakes his head and waves Jinyoung’s card away.

“I want to,” he says, firm but not insistent or demanding, and Jinyoung has to let him.

Mark pays for the snacks and they head to the park. It’s a calm kind of evening, the stream of traffic even and the sky turning a faded lavender-blue. The carrier bag of food knocks against Jinyoung’s knee as they walk (he insisted on taking it – being the one to hold it is the least he can do considering that Mark paid), and he wonders what it would be like to have this as his daily life.

To be a complete unknown, someone for whom simply walking down the street with someone he loves is a more regular part of his life than a fan sign or a music show performance or hours and hours of dancing the same routine on repeat to perfect it. Someone experiencing this stage of life – this gradual-sudden (because somehow, it manages to be both things at once) departure from youth: university and military service and easing into a regular job – like most people do. He’d probably still have early mornings, and still might have some late nights, but not quite as early, and certainly never as late. He definitely, definitely wouldn’t be as tired.

If that was how he lived, though, he wouldn’t have Mark, wouldn’t have any of them. Sure, there was a _person he loves_ in his thoughts, but he’s pretty certain that he doesn’t want anyone else. Just that alone – just them – outweighs any of the negative parts of being an idol, a celebrity, without even considering the rest of the positives. He’s got six other people to live through this with, six people he loves and trusts and cares for. It’s worth it. Beyond that, even.

They make it to the park and find a relatively quiet place where they can sit down on the grass. They’re in the shade of a tree behind them, so it isn’t quite as hot, and Jinyoung sits almost cross-legged while Mark stretches out his legs. Mark takes off his mask to eat, and Jinyoung retrieves the ice creams from the bag and hands Mark’s over. Jinyoung unwraps his and takes his first tentative lick. Cold, and sweet, so much so that it takes him by surprise even though it’s what he expected. Beside him, Mark hums, satisfied with his own first taste, and the noise draws Jinyoung’s attention. Seeing Mark enjoying something never fails to make him smile – especially when that something was Jinyoung’s idea in the first place.

“You know,” Jinyoung says, and he can feel his expression turning serious as he works out how to phrase things the way he wants to. “When we used to do this – back then I never let myself get too close to anybody. I always felt like there was no point. You never knew if someone would stick around or if they’d go to another company or if they’d just give up on becoming an idol altogether. So I didn’t get to know that many people that well, because I didn’t want to lose them. But I always wanted to know you.”

Mark’s silent. Sure, it’s not like that’s unusual – not like it would be if say, Jackson were the one Jinyoung had stunned into quiet – but something about the way he’s looking at Jinyoung makes this different.

“Jinyoungie,” Mark finally says, his voice slightly hushed, and he shifts a little closer. There’s a pause. His leg brushes against Jinyoung’s, and it’s the only place where they’re touching, but like the silence, it still speaks volumes. “I always thought you were worth knowing, too.”

From there, they sit and eat in peace for the most part. Occasionally, Jinyoung will make an observation about something around them and wait for Mark’s smile in response, or Mark will speak up, unexpected, and what he says will be everything Jinyoung wants to hear.

“We should get going,” Mark says eventually, and he’s right.

“Yeah,” Jinyoung agrees. “We should.”

There’s no way of knowing what they’ll find when they get back to the dorm. Maybe they’ll get back and the first thing they’ll see will be Jackson’s easy end-of-the-day smile, so much warmth and love directed at both of them before he’s even said good evening and even more comes pouring out. Maybe they’ll get back and Bambam and Yugyeom will be attempting another freestyle rap battle in their room loud enough for the whole dorm to hear, and underneath a mask of annoyance at the noise, Jinyoung will feel fond. Maybe they’ll get back and there’ll be the sound of Youngjae singing in the shower from the direction of the bathroom, and Jinyoung won’t even be able to be mad that he has to wait his turn because Youngjae sounds so good. Maybe they’ll get back and Jaebum will be sleeping in Mark’s bed like he likes to sometimes, and Jinyoung and Mark will get comfortable on either side of him when they’re ready to go to bed. They could go back to any of that, and so much more. Whatever they find on the other side of the front door, though, Jinyoung’s sure that he’ll crack a smile.

For now, before they stand up and start to head back, Jinyoung touches his hand to Mark’s, if only barely. If only for a second. Their eyes meet. Mark doesn’t lean in and kiss him – not now, not out here, even as it starts to get dark – but somehow, in this moment, just the briefest brush of their hands means so much more than that.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading, everybody - you can also find me on tumblr @ vibetechs and on twitter @gotsevenses (and wow, the last time this series was updated was so long ago that i didn't even use twitter back then)


End file.
